“The ongoing war is escalating in danger and unpredictability. The danger of a world war breaking out on Europe’s borders is no longer a hypothetical scenario, but a real risk”, said Monsignor Maksym Ryabukha, Greek Catholic bishop of the Exarchate of Donetsk, voicing his “deep concern.” His diocese covers the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk. These areas are located just a few kilometres from the Russian border and from the front lines, amidst ongoing fighting to defend Ukrainian territory. The situation in these areas, he says, “is extremely serious. Having failed to seize cities and villages, Russian forces are bombing everything in sight: houses, vehicles, hamlets… Having failed to crush the Ukrainian people’s resistance, they are attempting to eliminate them entirely. People’s lives are under constant threat. Imagine thieves broke into your home. What would you do? You would call the police and seek protection; you certainly would not let the thief seize your home.” The news of the Russian drone attack in Poland also spread to Ukraine. The bishop remarked: “The aggressor has no intention of stopping at Ukraine, and the attacks in Poland prove it.” Will he stop? I doubt it!” Unfortunately, allowing this thirst for blood and power to go unchecked leads to devastating and irreversible damage.” The bishop made an appeal to Europe: “Failing to react to the killer’s actions only strengthens his resolve to proceed with his nefarious plans. The time for appeasing him in the hope that he will become less aggressive is over. The more he is allowed to continue, the stronger will be his desire to keep going.” The bishop reminded Europe of the proverb, “Silence means consent.” He cautioned:
“Remaining silent and pretending that nothing has happened only allows them to advance, with their eyes on Europe.”
SIR contacted the exarch of Donetsk in light of the tragedy that occurred in Yarova, one of the villages in his region, in the past 36 hours. A Russian fighter jet dropped a laser-guided bomb on a group of elderly people who were waiting for their pension payments killing at least 25 and wounding 18. Images of the impact, the wounded and the dead bodies on the ground hit the headlines worldwide. It will forever be remembered as “the massacre of pensioners.” “It breaks my heart,” said Salesian Bishop Ryabukha. “The victims were important and precious members of their families, just like me and my loved ones. They died senseless deaths, caused by the warped minds of people addicted to cruel slaughter.” The bishop continued: “My condolences and prayers go out to the families who have lost and are losing their loved ones every day in this terrible massacre of the Ukrainian people.”
“I have faith that God will find a way to silence Russian weapons once and for all. Let us all pray for the conversion of the Russian people’s hearts, for they are drowning in the blood of the innocent they slaughter without hesitation.”
